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Women in Horror Month: An Invitation to Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”

On the heels of Tor.com’s blog post stating that the horror genre doesn’t claim Toni Morrison’s novel, Beloved, I feel like it’s necessary to set the record straight. As much as I would personally like to claim it for the horror genre, some people might consider that appropriation, given its topic and the context in which it was written– and certainly, horror isn’t the only genre represented(it has also been described as magic realist, historical fiction, and African-American fiction, and Morrison has said she prefers to be identified as simply an American writer). But as a widely read person and a reviewer of horror fiction, I personally, and as a representative of Monster Librarian, will argue that it most certainly should be included (I have always considered it to be part of the genre) as it spotlights one of the most innovative and powerful depictions of horror and the Gothic by women, in recent literature.

In the way that it taps into the feelings we attach to American history, Beloved is a unique book that I am not sure any other can quite measure up to.  I won’t argue that it doesn’t also have a relationship to other literary genres and styles. But there is room in the horror genre for things we haven’t yet even imagined, and there is certainly an honored place for Beloved. 

 

 

Posted on February 25, 2016 by , Reply

HWA Announces Jack Ketchum and Tanith Lee as 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award Winners

Congratulations to Jack Ketchum and Tanith Lee, winners of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Horror Writers Association:

 

HWA ANNOUNCES JACK KETCHUM AND TANITH LEE AS 2015 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), the premier organization of writers and publishers of horror and dark fantasy and home of the iconic Bram Stoker Awards®, today announced Jack Ketchum and Tanith Lee as the 2015 recipients of the Bram Stoker Award® for Lifetime Achievement. The HWA presents the award annually to individuals whose work has substantially influenced the horror genre. While the award is often presented to a writer, it may also be given for influential accomplishments in other creative fields.

 

“We had a wealth of very worthy candidates for this award,” said John R. Little, jury chairperson of the Lifetime Achievement Award (LAA) committee. “After much discussion, we believe we agreed on two exceptional winners this year.”

 

Jack Ketchum has been one of the premier authors in the horror field for many years. His novel The Girl Next Door is considered a classic, but he’s written many other equally deeply moving works. Ketchum has won the Bram Stoker Award® four times and been nominated an additional three times, showing the broad appeal to his audience. He was named the Grandmaster at the 2011 World Horror Convention.

 

Tanith Lee has written more than ninety novels in various fields, including horror, fantasy, and science fiction. She is very popular regardless of the genre she chooses to write in. She has won several World Fantasy and British Fantasy Awards, and in 2013 was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Fantasy Convention.

 

“Jack and Tanith remain extremely popular authors today,” said HWA President Lisa Morton, “and the Horror Writers Association is proud to bestow the Lifetime Achievement Award on them.”

 

Ketchum will be on-hand to accept the award (Lee will accept via video), on the evening of Saturday, May 9, 2015 as part of a gala banquet and the presentation of the Bram Stoker Awards during the World Horror Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Tickets to the banquet and the convention are on sale to the public at http://www.whc2015.org. The awards presentation will also be live-streamed online for those who cannot attend in person.

 

The 2015 Lifetime Achievement Committee was chaired by John R Little, and included Maria Alexander, Patrick Freivald, Aaron Sterns and Heather Graham. For more information on the Bram Stoker Awards presentation and the 2015 World Horror Convention, please visit http://www.whc2015.org.

 

THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION is a nonprofit organization of writers and publishing professionals around the world, dedicated to promoting dark literature and the interests of those who write it. The HWA formed in 1985 with the help of many of the field’s greats, including Dean Koontz, Robert McCammon, and Joe Lansdale. Today, with over 1250 members around the globe, it is the oldest and most respected professional organization for the much-loved writers who have brought you the most enjoyable sleepless nights of your life.

 

One of HWA’s missions is to encourage public interest in and foster an appreciation of good Horror and Dark Fantasy literature. The organization offers public areas of its site, www.horror.org; sponsors or takes part in public readings and lectures; publishes a monthly newsletter for members; maintains outreach to booksellers, librarians, fans and readers; facilitates readings and signings by horror writers; offers scholarships; and maintains an official presence at the major fan-based horror and fantasy conventions, such as the World Horror Convention, and literary festivals.

Posted on January 23, 2015 by , Reply

Review: Four Elements by Charlee Jacob, Rain Graves, Linda Addison, and Marge Simon

It’s not traditional for us to publish our reviews right here on the blog, but with Women in Horror month just ended and Stoker season already here,  I wanted to share a review here that showcases a book belonging in both categories. This will appear on the site as well, as soon as there’s an opportunity to post it. Sumiko Saulson also published an interview with Linda Addison about Four Elements, which I’ll link to here.

And now, the review.
    Four Elements by Charlee Jacob, Marge Simon, Rain Graves and Linda Addison

Bad Moon Books/Evil Jester Press, 2013

Available: New paperback, Kindle edition

ISBN-13: N/A

 

Four Elements is a collection of poetry and short fiction by four women of horror who are all Bram Stoker Award winning poets. Each writer takes on one of the four elements of nature—earth, air, fire and water—and brings their own vision to each.

“Earth” by Marge Simon contains poems and stories that all deal with various consequences of people’s actions including war, desolation, destruction and death, including “A Time For Planting” about the consequences of love and lust and “Quake” about how short our time can be.

“Water” by Rain Graves which includes many pieces dealing with destruction through mythology, including a series of six poems, which I loved, titled “Hades and Its Five” that encompasses all of the myths of Hades, the river Styx and the ferryman.

“Fire” by Charlee Jacob that includes works dealing with death and destruction.  My favorite here is “Accidental Tourists” about a couple of voyeurs who find love at the scene of a horrific car accident and their many names for the color red—the color of life and death.  There is also a series of ten poems called “Reaching Back to Eden” that involve the consequences of the actions of Adam, Eve, Lilith and Satan.

“Air” by Linda Addison contains poems about the power of the wind to shape life and our environment as well as describing the soul as air versus the body.  “Lost in Translation” is one of my favorites here, about air as a hidden, living being.  “Upon First Seeing Ongtupqa” is a beautiful description about air moving through canyons, wearing away the earth and exposing millennia of past life.

All of the prose and poetry is dark, beautiful and vivid in its imagery. There is emotion behind the words that will draw a visceral response from the reader. All of the poetry by these four amazing women is so powerful you will find yourself reading Four Elements again and again.  I have already read through it twice.  If you are a fan of dark poetry then Four Elements is for you. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Colleen Wanglund

 

Posted on March 2, 2014 by , Reply
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